Travis A. Gonyou

Travis A. Gonyou
Phone: (734) 662-4426
Email:

Travis Gonyou’s practice focuses on complex commercial litigation, international arbitration, and internal investigations. Mr. Gonyou has represented corporate and individual clients in matters concerning cross-border disputes, financial service disputes, qui tam defense, partnership and shareholders’ disputes, real estate development, and a variety of other commercial disputes. Prior to joining Hooper Hathaway, Mr. Gonyou practiced at a Chambers-ranked boutique litigation firm in New York and a top regional firm in Detroit. Mr. Gonyou is also an experienced political and communications strategist having worked on campaigns and for Members of Congress and the Michigan legislature.

Representative Matters

Business Disputes

• Counsel for a Fortune 100 financial services company in an arbitration for breach of contract case under the American Arbitration Association (AAA)
• Counsel for a California company in a breach of contract and conversion litigation in federal court, successfully securing emergency injunctive relief and the appointment of a receiver
• Counsel for a media and communications company in a contract and licensing dispute related to a prominent online and print magazine
• Counsel for an international automotive supply company in a shareholder dispute in federal court related to a prior acquisition
• Counsel for a private equity firm in an appeal arising out of the collapse of Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities
• Local counsel for a national oil & gas company in litigation defending against an operator related to a contract dispute

International Disputes

• Counsel for a publicly traded international company regarding a potential indemnification dispute related to a merger agreement in Latin America
• Counsel in an internal investigation for a UK company related to fraud by a subcontractor
• Counsel for a German company to compel arbitration a Florida suit administered by the German Arbitration Institute (DIS) related to an exclusive distribution agreement
• Counsel for an international commodities company regarding contract liability and force majeure related to Covid-19
• Counsel for a financial services company advising on worldwide third-party discovery requests
• Counsel for a Russian petroleum company in an action in U.S. courts to enforce an arbitral award against a sovereign state
• Counsel for a group of scholars in an amici curiae brief to the U.S. Supreme Court concerning judicial review of an international arbitral tribunal’s competence to decide its own jurisdiction

Regulatory Litigation, Government Investigations, and Internal Investigations

• Counsel in multiple internal investigations for a multinational pharmaceuticals company regarding alleged irregular contracting procedures and employee wrongdoing
• Counsel for a public company related to allegations of fraudulent billing, False Claims Action violations, and violations of the Sarbanes Oxley Act
• Counsel for a Fortune 100 company in connection with intervened and declined qui tam litigation pursued by the government and by relators in the public construction industry
• Counsel to a financial services company related to an investigation by the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
• Counsel to a national trade organization in successfully challenging state emergency orders

Education

• Northwestern Pritzker School of Law, J.D., cum laude, 2019; Comment Editor, Journal of Criminal Law & Criminology (2018-2019); Member Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot Team (2018-2019); Teaching Assistant for Professor Candice Player (2018); Dean’s List (2016-2019)
• University of Michigan, B.A., 2012; Kessler Presidential Scholar

Bar & Court Admissions

• Michigan
• New York
• District of Columbia
• U.S. Supreme Court
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
• U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
• U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan
• U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
• U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York
• U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia

Honors & Awards

• Selection by Super Lawyers as a New York Rising Star in Business Litigation, 2021 – present

Professional & Community Affiliations

• American Bar Association
• Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, Member
  • Vice Chair, Young Members Group (YMG) Global Steering Committee (2024 – present)
  • Co-Treasurer, Young Members Group (YMG) Global Steering Committee (2023)
  • Social Media Co-Chair, New York Branch (2021 – present)
• Federal Bar Council
• ICC Young Arbitrators Forum
• New York City Bar Association
  • Member, Arbitration Committee (2021, 2023 – present)
  • Member, Working Group on Three Private International Law Treaties (2021 – present)
• Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot Team at Northwestern Law, Coach
• Young ICCA
• Member, Election Law Committee (2023 – present)

Publications

• Author, New York Federal Court Decision Creates Doubt Over Use of 28 U.S.C. § 1782 for International Arbitration, National Law Review (November 8, 2022)
• Author, SCOTUS Significantly Narrows Scope of 28 U.S.C. § 1782 for International Arbitrations, National Law Review (June 14, 2022)
• Co-Author with Katie Gonzalez, New York Arbitration Week 2021 Redux: Getting it Right: Building Quality + Trust in the Arbitral Process, Kluwer Arbitration Blog (December 7, 2021)
• Author, New York Arbitration Week Revisited: Non-Signatories Before And After Arbitration, Closing In On An International Approach?, Kluwer Arbitration Blog (December 3, 2020)
• Author, A Right Without a Remedy? The Recent US Decision to Not Enforce the Shell/Exxon Award, Young ICCA Blog & Kluwer Arbitration Blog (March 31,2020)

Speaking Engagements

• Panelist, “Tales from the Hearing Room: ‘What Would You Do?’”, New York Arbitration Week (November 13, 2023)